Horizontally-oriented shelves are extensively utilized in interiors, particularly offices, for supporting external loads such as books and other objects. Such shelves are typically secured to an upright wall and, in office environments wherein the walls are defined by prefabricated upright space-dividing wall panels, the shelves are frequently secured to the wall panels by rear brackets which have a series of hooks positioned for engagement within slotted uprights which typically define the edge frame of the wall panel. Such constructions are typically referred to as “modular” constructions since the shelf is restricted to lengths and locations dictated by the construction of the upright wall panels. In an effort to increase the flexibility with respect to length and location of the shelf, other constructions have been devised wherein the shelf is provided with top and bottom hooks or similar attachment brackets which in turn engage in elongated horizontal rails which are secured to the wall, thereby providing increased flexibility with respect to shelf length and shelf location.
While shelves of the aforementioned type have proven to operate reasonably successfully with respect to supporting external loads or objects thereon, the shelves have otherwise not proven to be readily adaptable with respect to providing additional functionality. While many of the shelves have permitted lights to be secured to the underside thereof, nevertheless the construction of the shelf has typically limited the type of light which can be utilized, as well as interfered with the overall appearance of the assembled shelf unit. Further, such shelves have not been readily adaptable with respect to permitting other types of objects to be secured thereto, particularly to the underside thereof, nor have such shelves been constructed in a manner which tends to increase their flexibility and adaptability of use, while minimizing their manufacturing costs.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved construction for a storage unit and particularly a shelf unit which is adapted for mounting on an upright wall for permitting storage of external objects or loads thereon, and which provides increased functional cooperation and adaptability with respect to mounting of accessories on the shelf, particularly suspended from the underside thereof, while at the same time providing an economical shelf which can be produced in a wide variety of lengths and which has adaptability with respect to its mounting on a wall, thereby overcoming many of the disadvantages associated with known constructions.
More specifically, the present invention relates to an improved elongate horizontally-oriented shelf which is preferably constructed as a monolithic one-piece member, such as by being extruded of a formable material, such as a plastics material, and is provided with a groove which opens upwardly from the bottom surface thereof and which extends lengthwise of the shelf for accommodating a detachable electrical accessory at any location along the groove for downward suspension from the shelf. The groove has a pair of electrical conductors, such as low-voltage conductors, embedded in the opposite side walls thereof so as to extend lengthwise of the groove, and accessible from the interior of the groove to provide electrical contact with an accessory which is inserted into the groove and moved into contact with the conductors. The conductors at one end of the groove, or at one end of a plurality of shelf units which are serially connected together, are joined to a suitable flexible electrical connector which joins to a conventional transformer plug for engagement with a conventional electrical outlet.
The invention also relates to an improved shelf, as aforesaid, wherein the shelf is preferably provided with one or more secondary grooves formed in and opening upwardly from the bottom side thereof, and extending lengthwise of the shelf in generally parallel relationship to the electrical-accessory receiving groove. The secondary groove preferably has a cross-sectional configuration, such as an undercut, enables an upwardly protruding mounting bracket as associated with a suitable accessory such as a small suspended shelf unit, or the like, to be inserted into and engaged within the secondary groove so as to secure the accessory to the underside of the shelf so that the accessory is maintained in downwardly suspended relationship therefrom.
The invention also relates to an improved shelf which mounts, on the underside thereof, an improved light for illuminating the region under the shelf. The shelf is preferably constructed as a monolithic one-piece member, such as by being extruded of a formable material, and has a groove which opens upwardly from the underside of the shelf and extends horizontally throughout the length thereof. The groove is provided with appropriate undercuts, one of which mounts therein an elongate light board which can be slidably inserted into the groove and supported therein for disposition throughout the length of the shelf, and which mounts thereon appropriate lighting, such as a plurality of LEDs disposed in spaced relationship lengthwise along the light board. A suitable diffuser is also slidably inserted into and extends lengthwise along the groove at a location below the light board to provide effective downward diffusion of the light emitted from the LEDs. A flexible electrical supply connector is joined to one end of the light board, and the other end of the connector has a conventional transformer-plug associated therewith for engagement within a conventional electrical receptacle.
Other objects, purposes and features of the invention will be apparent to persons familiar with constructions of this general type upon reading the following specification and inspecting the accompanying drawings.
Certain terminology will be used in the following description for convenience in reference only, and will not be limiting. For example, the words “upwardly”, “downwardly”, “rightwardly”, and “leftwardly” will refer to directions in the drawings to which reference is made. The words “upwardly” and “downwardly” will also be used to refer to the normal positional orientation and use directions of the shelf unit according to the present invention. The words “inwardly” and “outwardly” will refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the unit and designated parts thereof. Said terminology will include the words specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof, and words of similar import.